Refuse truck and elevator head shaft therefor



R. E. BROWN Jan. 22, 1957 REFUSE TRUCK AND ELEVATOR HEAD SHAFT THEREFOR 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 27, 1953 INVENTOR Robezf E. ,Bvown BY J541414M 4 ,M ATTCI-'-2\'EY R. E. BROWN Jan. 22, 1957 REFUSE TRUCK AND ELEVATOR HEAD SHAFT THEREFOR '7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 27,- 1953 .Roer E Zrown R. E. BROWN Jan. 22, 1957 REFUSE TRUCK AND ELEVATOR HEAD SHAFT THEREFOR 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. 27, 1955 INVENTOR fiober E. Brown C (ATTORNEY Jan. 22, 1957 R. E. BRbWN REFUSE TRUCK AND ELEVATOR HEAD SHAFT THEREFOR 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed on. 27, 1953 INVENTOR E. Brown .flmwm ATTORNEY R. E. BROWN Jan. 22, 1957 REFUSE TRUCK AND ELEVATOR HEAD SHAFT THEREFOR 7 Shets-Sheet Filed Oct. 27, 1955 U a W INVENTOR Rober E.,Br0wn R- E. BROWN Jan. 22, 1957 REFUSE TRUCK AND ELEVATOR HEAD SHAFT THEREFOR 7 Sheets-Swot Filed Oct. 27, 1953 INVENTOR luoberb E. Brown 4w ATTORNEY Jan. 22, 1957 R. E. BROWN 2,778,518

REFUSE TRUCK AND ELEVATOR HEAD SHAFT THEREFOR Filed Oct. 27, 1953 7 Sheets-Sheet '7' J A INVENTOR \\Q- be Brown I ATTORNEY Unite States Patent *9 REFUSE TRUCK AND ELEVATOR HEAD SHAFT THEREFOR Robert E. Brown, Hartsdale, N. Y., assignor to City Tank Corporation, Corona, N. Y., a corporation of New York Applicationoctober 27, 1953, Serial No. 388,550

11 Claims. (Cl. 214-518),

This invention relates to refuse trucks, and more particularly to refuse trucks having loading and packer mechanism, and still more particularly to head shaft assemblies therefor.

This invention relates to improvements of refuse trucks embodying a loader and packer assembly in accordance with the application of John P. Calamore, Serial No. 206,632, filed January 18, 1951, entitled Loader and Packer, new Patent 2,692,062, granted October 19, 1954.

in refuse trucks or the like having loader and packer mechanism of the general type employing lifts cyclically operated by chain linkage and particularly including associated with the lifts, packer mechanism, all driven by power mechanism, of which the aforesaid Calamore invention is an example, unusual stresses occur under the must adverse conditions by reason of the abrasion of broken particles of debris handled by the refuse loader mechanism. Where, as in the exemplified Calamore invention, the source of motive power is concentrated adjacent the tailgate above the floor level. of the truck body, a weight limitation on the superstructure leading to the minimizing of the weight and gauge of the sheet metal employed, has made the mechanism short-lived, involving costly maintenance for repair and frequent replacement. v

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide in a refuse truck having loader mechanism employing chain driven lifts, and particularly associated packer mechanism, an assembly which assures long life, is economical to install and maintain to accommodate the stresses incident to the operation of a loader of the aforesaid character.

Still more particularly, it is an object of this invention to provide in a refuse truck having chain actuated lifts from a single power source concentrated upon the tailgate, a tailgate and lift assembly directed from a low level hopper to a fill opening adjacent the ceiling of the truck and coupled. with packer blade actuating mechanism whereby a structure is provided which is economical to install, will resist the disruptive stresses incidentv to this type of operation for prolonged periods, assuring long life and one which is economical to adjust and maintain, to take care of variations occurring in the Wear of parts by reason of the operation of the loader and packer mechanism with highly abrasive refuse.

Still more particularly, it is an object of this invention to provide a head shaft assembly for a refuse truck having chain lift and/or packer mechanism and co ordinated parts which will be economical to install and maintain in proper repair.

To attain these objects and, such further objects as may appear herein or be hereinafter pointed out, I make reference to the accompanying drawing, forming a part hereof, in which- Figure l is a side elevation of a refuse truck embodying this invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary magnified view of the same, showing the head shaft motive powerhook up;

Patented Jan. 22, 1957 Figure 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 3';

Figure 6 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 66 of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a section taken on the line 7-7 of Figure 5',

Figure 8 is a fragmentary side elevation on the left hand side of the tailgate opposite'to Figure 4;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 99 of Figure 8;

Figure 10, is a phantom perspective view of the head shaft and lift chain guide assembly.

Reference is made to the drawing in which 10 represents a refuse truck mounted on the chassis 11, having a truck. body 12 provided at its rear tailgate portion 13 with a combination tailgate assembly 14 extended from the hinge pin 15, cooperating with a tailgate truss supporting structure and girders 16, extended from the side walls 17 of the truck body, to support the same.

Suspended from the hingepin is a bolster bar 18, to which is attached the tailgate girder 19. Spaced from the tail-gate girder 19 there is ailixed the tailgate beam 29 and bolster assembly 21. Extending over the tailgate girder there is positioned the Wear plate 22, which extends at its lower end into the hopper bottom wall 23 and merges into the fill hopper 24. The wear plate 22 is directed upwardly over the beam to the; deflector bar 25, forming the bottom edge of the fill opening 26, to each side of which there is projected inner mounting plates or brackets 27, spaced from the outer mounting plate 2.8.

The inner mounting plates merge into the chute side Walls 29 and 29 and extend to the hopper side walls 39 and 5G. Affixed to the chute side walls are chain guides 31 and 31 comprising angle iron elements merging at the bottom into arcuate segments 32 and 32. The chain guides 31 are bolted to the chute side wall 29. The chain guides 31 are bolted to the chute side wall 29' through elongated slots 33.

Upstauding from the chain guidesl'il and 31 are afiixed the right and left hand turnbuckle supports 34 and. 34', extending through the chute side walls 29 and 29', respectively, by spacers 35 passing through slots 36. The chain guides 31, 31 terminate into parti-arcuate segments 37, for purposes which will appear as this description proceeds.

The mounting plates 29 have cutouts 38 having a clearance outline, as will appear hereinafter, and include a throat 39 through which the. head shaft assembly 40 may extend, and for this purpose an upper disk assembly 41 is provided which has a face in slidable contact with the mounting plates 27 through the cutouts 38. The disksdl have bearing retainers 42 including suitable races 43 in which the head shaft 40 rotates. The shaft 40. has mounted on it the chain sprocket 44 keyed. by the spline 45', and having an inwardly extended hub 46 supporting the wiper shield 47 whose upper section. 4.8 is cylindricaliy formed to engage the, inwardly extending hubs of the sprocket, as previously described.

The wiper shield assembly 47 aids in supportingthe head shaft by a pair of angle supports 49- Which have the side web 50 bolted to the mounting, plate 29 and the vertical web 51 overlapping with the wiper shield, Bolts 52 extend throught elongated slots 53, for adjustment of the wiper shield in relation to the vertical web extended from the mounting plates 29. p

The bearing retainers 142 have extended therefrom gussets 54, to one end of each of which extends a stem 55 and to the other end of each of which there is provided a lug drill hole 56 (see Figure It will be understood that the left and right bearing retainers 42 are symmetrically arranged.

Each of the stems is formed with clamp lugs 56, 56, extending to each side of the slot 57 for clampingly engaging the turnbuckle screw 58 by means of the bolts 59. The turnbuckle screw 58 extends at its free end 60 into the lower stem 61, mounted on the clevis lug 62, joined to the turnbuckle supports 34 by the pin 63. From the gussets 54, on each side of the assembly, there is afiixed the clevis lug 64, held to the gussets 54 by the pin 65. The clevis lug 64 supports a turnbuckle assembly 66, engaging the lower disk assembly 67 by means of the lug 68 and clevis 69 connection to the bearing retainers 70 for the counter-shafts 71.

The counter-shafts 71 extend on the inner faces of the mounting plates 27 and have affixed thereto the rotor disks 72 upon which are mounted the studs 73. The studs 73 engage the tube 74 of the pusher plate '75 at the lower end thereof; The upper end of the pusher plate is supported by the pusher arm '76, engaging on one end the pusher arm lug 7'7 and on the other end the supporting pin 78, mounted upon the bolster bar 13. The lower disk assembly 67 is bolted to the mounting plates 27 fixedly. From the counter-shafts 71 there are extended the sprockets 79 which, by the chain drive 80, are coupled to the sprockets $1 on the head shaft.

The counter-shafts 71 extend into bearing within holders or flanged pillow blocks 82 supported on outer mounting plates 28. The head shaft 44) has a driven sprocket 83 aligned with the drive sprocket 84, coupled by the drive roller chain 85, coupled to the speed reducer 86 driven by the hydraulic motor 8'7, coupled by the hydraulic supply through the hoses 88.

With the assembly provided, installation may now be made of the roller and lift assemblies 89 and 89, directed over the right hand track or chain guides 31 and 31', respectively, continuously to guide the lifts 90 over the intervening spaced tracks and the hopper and to be driven by the chain conveyor sprockets 44 on the head shaft 40- Adjustment of the right hand conveyor chain and lift assembly with respect to the sprocket 44 on the head shaft is effected, and with relation to the chain drive 80 over the right hand counter-shaft 71 is effected by correlating the movement of the head shaft 40 on the turnbuckle elements shown in detail in Figure 5 relatively to the turnbuckle support 34 and the lower disk assembly 67. The left hand track or chain guides 31' are bolted to the chute plates 29 adjustably, as more clearly shown in Figure 8, permitting bodily shifting movement of the chain guides 31, including the lower arcuate guide 52' with the turnbuckle support 34', providing adjustment for the left hand chain assembly for the lifts. Thereupon the floating upper disk assembly and head shaft assembly is covered by the enclosing hood 91.

When the loader is in use, the location of the drive through the chain 85 being remote to the left hand sprocket for the chain conveyor and lift and the stresses incident to the driving of the packer plate 75, results in a torsional resistance of unequal magnitude for the adjacent and remote ends of the head shaft and the chains connected therewith with relation to the motive power unit on the rear right of the tailgate. By the installation provided, the torsional displacement incident to the stresses is equalized with great ease and accuracy, assuring long life by the integration of the adjusting elements with relation to the head shaft assembly at one end and the supports 34 and 34' at the other end, guiding the chain conveyor and lift assembly upon the chain guides 31 and 31.

By this construction, the chute side walls 29 and 29 are relieved of the incident stresses, to permit of the use of light weight sheet metal for encasing the conveyor chain assembly.

Similarly, differential distension of the chaindrives for the countershaft drive sprockets with relation to the disk assemblies 67 may be efiected, to assure efficient engagement of the chain drives with the sprockets engaged thereby.

Likewise, as the head shaft 41 is regulated, the Wiper shield 47 is movably adjustable with relation to the bolts 52, to maintain adequate support and efficient deflection in respect of the fill opening 26. The coordination of the length of the conveyor chain assembly to the stresses adjacent and remote to the source of power and the coordinated relationship of the roller guides to the sprockets of the main shaft and countershaft assures long life and eflicient,

maintenance of the tailgate. assembly and its loader and packer under the impact of both of these forces.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a refuse truck loader, a tailgate structure on which said loader is mounted, said loader having mounted on said tailgate the combination of spaced conveyor chains for cyclically directing lift elements connected between the same along a loading chute towards a fill opening, substantially independently integrated chain guides for each of said conveyor chains, a common head shaft having spaced sprockets for driving said chains, each of said sprockets being in driving connection with one of said conveyor chains, supports for said head shaft including bearing retainers therefor, means for mounting said supports for said bearing retainers on said chain guides.

2. In a refuse truck loader, a tailgate structure on which said loader is mounted, said loader having mounted on said tailgate the combination of spaced conveyor chains for cyclically directing lift elements connected between the same along a loading chute towards a fill opening, substantially independently integrated chin guides for each of said conveyor chains, a common head shaft having spaced sprockets for driving said chains, each of said sprockets being in driving connection with one of said conveyor chains, supports for said head shaft including bearing retainers therefor, means for mounting said supports for said bearing retainers on said chain guides, said supports on said chain guides comprising turnbuckle supports and turnbuckle assemblies connecting said bearing retainers and turnbuckle assembly supports.

3. in a refuse truck loader having spaced conveyor chains for cyclically directing lift elements connected between the same along a loading chute towards a fill opening, chain guides for each of said conveyor chains, a common head shaft having spaced sprockets for driving said chains, each of said sprockets being in driving connection with one of said conveyor chains, supports for said head shaft including bearing retainers therefor, means for mounting said supports for said bearing retainers on said chain guides, said supports on said chain guides comprising turnbuckle supports and turnbuckle assemblies connecting said bearing retainers and turnbuckle assembly supports and a wiper shield mounted on said head shaft for adjustment therewith.

4. In a refuse truck, a tailgate therefor, a loader and packer comprising spaced conveyor chains for continuously and cyclically directing lift elements between them from a hopper below the truck fioor level to a fill opening above the floor level, a "head shaft having spaced conveyor chain sprockets for said chains driven by a source of power to one side thereof, unitary chain guides for each of said chain conveyors, mounting plates extended from said tailgate, bearing retainers on said mounting plate, shafts on said bearing retainers for a packer assembly comprising spaced disk assemblies, said head shaft comprising spaced bearing retainers independent of said mounting plates, said bearing retainers for said head shaft being supported by cooperative adjusting means comprising turnbuckle assemblies and supports for saidturnbuckle assemblies on said chain guides and disk assemblies.

5. In a refuse truck loader, a tailgate structure on which said loader is mounted, said loader having mounted on said tailgate the combination of spaced conveyor chains for cyclically directing lift elements connected between the same along a loading chute toward a fill opening, substantially independently integrated chain guides comprising angle tracks for each of said conveyor chains on said chute, means for adjustably mounting one of said chain guides as a unit, a common head shaft having spaced sprockets for driving said chains, supports for said head shaft mounted on said chain guides, each support including bearing retainers for said head shaft, said bearing retainers being mounted on said supports adjustably and one of said guides being adjustable relatively to said chute.

6. In a refuse truck loader, a tailgate structure on which said loader is mounted, said loader having mounted on said tailgate the combination of spaced conveyor chains for cyclically directing lift elements connected between the same along a loading chute toward a fill opening, substantially independently integrated chain guides for each of said conveyor chains comprising a pair of looped tracks, a common head shaft extending across said chain guides including driving means at one end, spaced sprockets coupled to said head shaft for driving said conveyor chains, means for mounting said head shaft comprising supports mounted on said chain guides and including bearing retainers and adjustable connections between said heating retainers and said supports for independently adjusting the chain guides and head shaft with relation to each other.

7. A refuse truck in accordance with claim 6 wherein one of said chain guides is adjustably mounted as a unit on said chute.

8. In a refuse truck, a tailgate therefor, the combination therewith of, and mounted on said tailgate of a loading chute leading to a low level hopper and having a wear plate leading to a high level fill opening, a loader and packer comprising spaced conveyor chains for continuously and cyclically directing lift elements between them from said hopper to said fill opening, chute side walls and mounting plates extended from said tailgate, chain conveyor guides for each of said conveyor chains, one mounted on each of said chute walls, a common head shaft for said conveyor chains, driving means for said head shaft adjacent one end thereof, spaced disk assentsaid head shaft and counter shafts, said bearing retainers for said counter shaft being mounted on said mounting plates, a support for said head shaft bearing retainer mounted upon said chain guides and adjusting means on said bearing retainer and support for supporting said head shaft bearing retainer independently of the chute.

9. In a refuse truck having a tailgate structure, the combination having mounted on said tailgate spaced conveyor chain drives for lifts, a head shaft for driving the same, mounting plates for said head shaft including cutouts having an open thro'at portion, a pair of disk assembly members slidably in contact with said mounting plates, bearing retainers carried by said disk assembly supporting said head shaft and supports for said disk assemblies independent of said mounting plates.

10. In a refuse truck having a tailgate structure, the combination having mounted on said tailgate spaced conveyor chain drives for lifts, a head shaft for driving the same, mounting plates for said head shaft including cutouts having an open throat portion, a pair of disk assembly members slidably in contact with said mounting plates, bearing retainers carried by said disk assembly supporting said head shaft and supports for said disk assemblies independent of said mounting plates, substantially independently integrated guide tracks for said conveyor drive, said supports for said disk assemblies being coupled with said guide tracks.

11. In a refuse truck having a tailgate structure, the combination having mounted on said tailgate spaced conveyor chain drives for lifts, a head shaft for driving the same, mounting plates for said head shaft including cutouts having an open throat portion, a pair of disk assembly members slidably in contact with said mounting plates, bearing retainers carried by said disk assembly supporting said head shaft and supports for said disk assemblies independent of said mounting plates, substantially independently integrated guide tracks for said conveyor chain drive, said supports for said disk assemblies being adjustably coupled as a unit with said guide tracks.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,868,780 Valtier July 26, 1932 2,226,853 Garbacz Dec. 31, 1940 2,266,770 Kurtz et a1. Dec. 23, 1941 2,496,192 Baldt Jan. 31, 1950 2,569,004 Joy Sept. 25, 1951 2,660,326 Calamore Nov. 24, 1953 2,692,062 Calamore Oct. 19, 1954 

